{"id":222655,"date":"2022-07-22T12:13:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T17:13:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=222655"},"modified":"2022-07-25T16:42:53","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T21:42:53","slug":"florida-clothing-store-alleged-front-for-game-room-operator-faces-16-counts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/florida-clothing-store-alleged-front-for-game-room-operator-faces-16-counts\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Clothing Store Alleged \u2018Front\u2019 for Game Room, Operator Faces 16 Counts"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Florida<\/a> man was arrested Wednesday on 16 gambling charges related to fish games. Detectives found a \u201cgame room\u201d hidden behind his Citra, Fla. clothing store.<\/p>\n

\"Marion
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, pictured above. The Florida sheriff’s office searched a business in which a game room was allegedly operating covertly. (Image: Getty Images\/Gerardo Mora)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The operator, Ralph McNish, 46, was charged with violating Marion County\u2019s ordinance prohibiting the management, possession, or use of simulated gambling devices for commercial purposes, the Marion County Sheriff\u2019s Office said in an online post.<\/p>\n

He was placed in the Marion County Jail on Wednesday. Bail was set at $8,000. He posted bond early today, according to online jail records.<\/p>\n

The investigation was launched after the sheriff\u2019s office was told an \u201cinternet caf\u00e9\u201d was covertly operating at the Citra location.<\/p>\n

Undercover Shop<\/h2>\n

On Wednesday, an undercover detective with the sheriff\u2019s office knocked on the door and rang the doorbell of the business. McNish opened the door and told the detective the business was a clothing store.<\/p>\n

After our detective told McNish he was interested in playing some tables, McNish allowed our detective inside and brought him into the back of the business,\u201d <\/strong>the sheriff\u2019s office revealed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The detective paid $40 to play the games. He concluded they were \u201csimulated gambling devices,\u201d the sheriff\u2019s office said. The undercover detective then left the business. Other officers arrived. McNish was questioned. He refused to answer or give officers a statement, authorities said. McNish was apprehended.<\/p>\n

Authorities searched the business, and photos were taken. It was not immediately known if any gaming devices or cash were seized from the business. In total, there were 16 fish game stations inside the operation.<\/p>\n

“Photographs \u2026 depict the so-called \u2018clothing store\u2019 that was literally used as a \u2018front\u2019 by this establishment as well as the \u2018game room\u2019 hidden in the back,\u201d the sheriff\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

Fish Games Explained<\/h2>\n

Fish games are often found in arcades<\/a>. Typically, players attempt to shoot fish or other marine-type life as part of the game.<\/p>\n

Fish hunting <\/a>is increasingly popular in many arcades, according to news reports.<\/p>\n

Typically, players are paid cash equivalents in credits based on the number of sea creatures they strike. Machines are relatively easy to operate via buttons and joysticks, the Modesto Bee<\/em>, a California newspaper, has reported.<\/p>\n

Questioning Need for Arrest<\/h2>\n

Though some posters on the Marion County Sheriff\u2019s Office Facebook page complimented officers on the arrest and search, many others questioned the entire police operation.<\/p>\n

You should be more worried about the drugs and shootings in citra rather than a \u2018fish games\u2019 gambling spot. I mean, seriously though, there was a shootout down the road from Dollar General the other night. Go look into that. Some REAL crimes,” poster Ryan Ref told the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Similarly, Kelly L Graham said, \u201cQuit harassing these type places. More important stuff going on im sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see how this is a problem!?,” Hailee Eubanks commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf so shouldn\u2019t it be \u2026 illegal to get scratch offs and lottery tickets? If you ask me y\u2019all should be after different things then a fish table. Just cause it isn\u2019t \u2018regulated\u2019 and the government isn\u2019t getting any money if this is illegal shouldn\u2019t all forms of gambling be!?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Florida man was arrested Wednesday on 16 gambling charges related to fish games. Detectives found a \u201cgame room\u201d hidden behind his Citra, Fla. clothing store. The operator, Ralph McNish, 46, was charged with violating Marion County\u2019s ordinance prohibiting the management, possession, or use of simulated gambling devices for commercial purposes, the Marion County Sheriff\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":222663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13592],"tags":[13766,81956,13700],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFlorida Clothing Store Alleged \u2018Front\u2019 for Game Room, Operator Charged<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A man was arrested on 16 gambling charges related to fish games. 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